Li Chonglou asked, "Why?"
The driver chuckled and explained, "You wouldn't know this, but to enter Beigang, you first need a minimum capital for registration. The starting point here is tens of millions of dollars, let alone meeting the port's minimum procurement requirements."
"We have a saying here: Earn a box, win a century. This 'box' refers to a shipment of goods within Beigang."
Li Chonglou suddenly understood, but the driver wasn't done. He continued, "However, young man, I must advise you, if you're new here, don't go looking for work at the port just for the salary."
"The money earned there isn't for ordinary people like us."
The driver's tone was loaded with meaning, and Li Chonglou had his suspicions, but he still asked, "Master Driver, what's the catch?"
The driver suddenly lowered his voice and said gravely, "You must have heard of cultivators, right? It's unlikely you'd come to Shangjing without knowing about them."
Li Chonglou felt a bit exasperated. With the conversation having reached this point, even if he truly didn't know, he'd have to pretend he did!
However, he honestly nodded.
The driver then continued, "If cultivators occupy sixty percent of Shangjing, then the port area accounts for sixty percent of Shangjing's cultivators! Smuggling and conflicts are common occurrences there. How does the old saying go?"
"Ah, yes, 'When the city burns, the fish in the moat suffer'! The jobs there pay well, but you need to be alive to spend the money you earn, don't you think?"
As he spoke, the car exited the elevated highway. The scenery of the port was no longer visible, but the driver's words piqued Li Chonglou's interest.
Because he was in a hurry, he hadn't asked Zhou Tong to investigate matters in the East District. He was still unfamiliar with the port and had never heard the claim that cultivators comprised sixty percent of Shangjing.
He had visited the East District for missions before, but never near the port. This made him suddenly quite interested in Beigang, Shangjing's core economic hub.
About half an hour later, after traveling back from Gedong, which had taken most of the day, the sky began to darken. The driver dropped Li Chonglou off in front of a hotel.
"Here's my business card. Although this is a company car, feel free to call me directly if you need anything."
Before leaving, the driver handed him a business card and winked, giving him a knowing look.
"It seems competition among ordinary people is indeed fierce," Li Chonglou mused, holding the card. It wasn't the driver's personal card but belonged to another convoy. Clearly, the driver was operating his own side business.
Considering them semi-colleagues, Li Chonglou didn't discard the card. He pocketed it and walked towards the hotel entrance.
"Hold it right there, who told you to come in? Get lost!"
As he approached the entrance, a man in a security uniform strode quickly towards him, holding a black baton, clearly a new-model police baton.
Li Chonglou initially thought the man wasn't talking to him and continued walking until the man aggressively blocked his path.
"Didn't you hear me? Are you deaf?"
The man pointed the baton at Li Chonglou's nose while speaking, giving the clear impression that he'd resort to violence if necessary.
Li Chonglou was taken aback for a moment before realizing that he had opted for a low-key approach and had only changed into a plain shirt.
However, since arriving in Shangjing, he had rarely encountered such situations. He had always assumed Shangjing had the strictest management, yet he encountered this in the East District.
Li Chonglou saw no reason to be polite to someone who judged people by their appearance. His expression instantly turned cold, and he said, "If you've got the guts, try and do something?"
Unexpectedly, this had the opposite effect.
"Damn it, who do you think you are, acting tough in front of me? Believe it or not, I'll cripple you today! You dare to come to Fengtian dressed like this rags? Are you trying to disgrace Fengtian?"
The man not only didn't back down but seemed self-righteous, as if what he called "Fengtian" was some incredibly important entity, and wearing ordinary clothes was an insult to it.
Li Chonglou's brow furrowed deeply. Just then, a pleasant voice sounded from the side.
"Friend, this is your first time at Fengtian, isn't it?"
Both men turned their heads. A long-haired beauty in a fashionable red top, revealing a pair of long legs, was walking over in red high heels.
The beauty carried a small white handbag, indicating she was well-off. Although she wore sunglasses, her delicate, fair features could still be discerned.
Judging by her demeanor and gait, she was among the top three most impressive women Li Chonglou had ever seen.
Her voice also sounded quite young, likely around twenty. Li Chonglou's brow furrowed even more.
He didn't recall knowing anyone like her here.
However, the security guard recognized her and quickly went to greet her.
"Hello, Miss Mu Qi. Do you have an invitation from Fenglou today as well?"
The security guard's demeanor was a complete reversal from his earlier aggression. In front of Mu Qi, he was like a professional lackey, bowing subserviently and rubbing his hands in a show of fawning.
His expression was even more telling, resembling a Golden Retriever desperate for food, which made Li Chonglou feel disgusted.
He wasn't disgusted by the man's subservience for the sake of his livelihood but by his arrogance towards those he perceived as weaker and his sycophantic behavior towards those stronger than him!
Li Chonglou held a deep disdain for people who bullied the weak, regardless of their background or status.
The beautiful woman who had suddenly appeared was considerably more polite than the guard. Even though she knew his flattery was insincere, she still nodded in response.
"I have a performance today."
After replying politely, the woman turned her gaze back to Li Chonglou, her voice still sweet and melodious.
"Friend, Fengtian's regulations are a bit stricter than other places. He's likely just following the rules. If you wish to enter, you can come with me. There are clothing stores inside."
Li Chonglou raised an eyebrow, glancing towards the hotel. It still looked like a hotel, but it had clothing stores inside?
However, Li Chonglou was more curious about the woman's intentions.
"Um, I don't think we know each other, do we?"
Li Chonglou spoke calmly. Even the man who had secretly cursed him for being lucky was momentarily stunned, completely taken aback by Li Chonglou's attitude.
As for Mu Qi, the situation was even more unexpected.
The scene suddenly fell into silence.
As the saying goes, sudden silence is the most dreaded. The man was the first to react.